Not getting coverage, for now

Friday

Aug 17, 2007 at 12:01 AMAug 17, 2007 at 10:09 AM

There's been a small glitch along the way to Alabama state senators getting health insurance coverage that will be heavily subsidized by you and me. But if it proves to be much of a hindrance to these senators, we'll be seriously surprised.The State Employees Insurance Board rejected a measure passed by the Senate late in the last legislative session that would have let senators get state employee insurance at the same cost as state employees. Currently, lawmakers can get the coverage, but they have to pay the full cost. Full-time state employees, however, pay only a portion of the family coverage.The savings would be substantial for state senators: They now pay $460 a month for individual coverage and $640 a month for family coverage; state employees pay nothing for individual coverage and $180 a month for family coverage. All smokers covered pay an additional $22 a month.State Finance Director Jim Main - who also is a member of the board - urged board members to vote against the measure, and they did, 9-1. But the indication was the no-vote was based more on the way the Senate handled the matter. Its resolution was of a kind that did not affect House members, and House members did not vote on it.Board member David Bronner, chief executive of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, said if both senators and House members joined on a measure, he believes they could see subsidized health insurance through the board. Board members said they would consider a joint request should both the House and Senate approve it.Alabama's lawmakers have proven themselves to be no slouches when it comes to legislation that benefits them financially, such as last year's 62 percent raise that boosted their combined salary and expense allowances to $49,250 a year.Getting the subsidized health-care coverage would give the lawmakers who chose to take advantage of it another benefit now worth $5,520 a year, the Birmingham News reported.Lawmakers, given their history, are likely to be diligent in seeking the additional benefit. They could do so in the regular legislative session that will start in February, or in a special session if one is called before then.It will be up to voters to let their lawmakers know between now and then just what priority they believe this measure deserves - whether they want an opportunity to pay the major share of health-care coverage for senators' and representatives' families as well as their own.

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